Music Blog : rock and roll, singer songwritershttp://evpl.org/community/blogs/music/archive/tags/rock+and+roll/singer+songwriters/default.aspxTags: rock and roll, singer songwritersenCommunityServer 2008 SP1 (Build: 30619.63)"Ain't no party like my nana's tea party!" Flight of the Conchords albums are musically, comedically brillianthttp://evpl.org/community/blogs/music/archive/2008/12/19/quot-ain-t-no-party-like-my-nana-s-tea-party-quot-flight-of-the-conchords-albums-are-musically-comedically-brilliant.aspxFri, 19 Dec 2008 21:13:00 GMT9a7b961d-7882-4302-b701-732ca0e566f2:1037professor.knowsitall@evpl3http://evpl.org/community/blogs/music/rsscomments.aspx?PostID=1037http://evpl.org/community/blogs/music/archive/2008/12/19/quot-ain-t-no-party-like-my-nana-s-tea-party-quot-flight-of-the-conchords-albums-are-musically-comedically-brilliant.aspx#comments<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/evpl/3121369340/" target="_blank"><img style="float:left;margin-right:8px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3210/3121369340_39edfd15e3_m.jpg" alt="Flight of the Conchords" width="240" height="227" /></a>Flight of the Conchords is an award-winning New Zealand comedy band, self-described as &quot;New Zealand&#39;s fourth most popular guitar-based digi-bongo acapella-rap-funk-comedy folk duo&quot;.&nbsp; While a couple previous blog posts (<a title="&quot;Flight of the Conchords - Season one&quot; by Bufkinite@evpl" href="http://evpl.org/community/blogs/movies/archive/2008/06/23/flight-of-the-conchords-season-one.aspx" target="_blank">1</a> <a title="&quot;Love Flight of the Conchords&quot; by this.is.not.here@evpl" href="http://evpl.org/community/blogs/movies/archive/2008/08/05/love-flight-of-the-conchords.aspx" target="_blank">2</a>) talked about their recent TV series on HBO, this post will focus primarily on their music.</p>
<p>Bret McKenzie &amp; Jemaine Clement formed Flight of the Conchords in 1998.&nbsp; They create original songs that parody real songs, both in style and lyrics.&nbsp; With an odd mix of guitar, bass, &amp; synthesizers, along with hilarious lyrics, they cover all the genres: romantic/R&amp;B, rap, pop, new wave, techno, and more!</p>
<p>In 2007, they released their six song EP, <em><a title="EVPL Catalog link" href="http://evans.evpl.org/search/t?SEARCH=the%20distant%20future%20sound" target="_blank">The Distant Future</a></em>, in the US; this album contains three studio tracks and three live tracks.&nbsp; In 2008, they released their self-titled album <em><a title="EVPL Catalog link" href="http://evans.evpl.org/search/t?SEARCH=flight%20of%20the%20conchords%20sound" target="_blank">Flight of the Conchords</a></em>.&nbsp; The EVPL has both albums, and both are definitely worth checking out!&nbsp; Here are a few of my favorite songs:</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0px;"><strong>&quot;Inner City Pressure&quot;:&nbsp;</strong>(On <em><a title="EVPL Catalog link" href="http://evans.evpl.org/search/t?SEARCH=flight%20of%20the%20conchords%20sound" target="_blank">Flight of the Conchords</a></em>)<em> </em>A&nbsp;spot-on&nbsp;parody of the Pet Shop Boys 1985 hit &quot;<a title="YouTube video" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAHfoIfo_7A" target="_blank">West End Girls</a>&quot;.&nbsp; It received a 2008 Emmy nomination for &quot;Outstanding Original Music And Lyrics&quot;.&nbsp; Check out the <a href="http://www.evpl.org/community/blogs/music/archive/2008/12/19/quot-ain-t-no-party-like-my-nana-s-tea-party-quot-flight-of-the-conchords-albums-are-musically-comedically-brilliant.aspx#ytvid">video below</a> to see for yourself!&nbsp; Here&#39;s a snippet of lyrics:</p>
<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-left:20px;"><em>&quot;Counting coins on the counter of the 7-11,<br />From a quarter past six &#39;til a quarter to seven.<br />The manager, Bevin, starts to abuse me<br />Hey man, I just want some Muesli.<br />Neon signs, hidden messages,<br />Questions, answers, fetishes.<br />You know you&#39;re not in high finance,<br />Considering getting second hand underpants.&quot;</em></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0px;"><strong>&quot;Hiphopopotamus Vs. Rhymenoceros (Featuring Rhymenoceros &amp; The Hiphopopotamus)&quot;: </strong>(On <em><a title="EVPL Catalog link" href="http://evans.evpl.org/search/t?SEARCH=flight%20of%20the%20conchords%20sound" target="_blank">Flight of the Conchords</a></em>) A hilariously tame gangsta rap song, featuring too many rap clich&eacute;s to count.&nbsp; Here&#39;s a sampling of the hardcore lyrics:</p>
<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-left:20px;"><em>&quot;They call me the Hiphopopotamus<br />Flows that glow like phosphorous<br />Poppin&#39; off the top of this esophagus<br />Rockin&#39; this metropolis<br />I&rsquo;m not a large water-dwelling mammal<br />Where did you get that preposterous hypothesis?<br />Did Steve tell you that, perchance?&quot;</em></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0px;"><strong>&quot;Think About It&quot;:&nbsp;</strong>(On <em><a title="EVPL Catalog link" href="http://evans.evpl.org/search/t?SEARCH=flight%20of%20the%20conchords%20sound" target="_blank">Flight of the Conchords</a></em>)<em> </em>A&nbsp;parody in the vein of Marvin Gaye&#39;s/Black Eyed Peas&#39; &quot;Where Is the Love?&quot;&nbsp; The lyrics talk about society&#39;s ills: violence, AIDS, sweatshop labor, etc.</p>
<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-left:20px;"><em>&quot;They&#39;re turning kids into slaves just to make cheaper sneakers.<br />But what&#39;s the real cost?<br />&#39;Cause the sneakers don&#39;t seem that much cheaper.<br />Why are we still paying so much for sneakers<br />when you got them made by little slave kids?<br />What are your overheads?&quot;</em></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0px;"><strong>&quot;The Most Beautiful Girl (In The Room)&quot;:</strong> (Studio recording on <em><a title="EVPL Catalog link" href="http://evans.evpl.org/search/t?SEARCH=flight%20of%20the%20conchords%20sound" target="_blank">Flight of the Conchords</a></em>; live recording on <em><a title="EVPL Catalog link" href="http://evans.evpl.org/search/t?SEARCH=the%20distant%20future%20sound" target="_blank">The Distant Future</a></em>)<em> </em>A&nbsp;rousing, romantic love song to the most beautiful girl (in the room).</p>
<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-left:20px;"><em>&quot;Looking &#39;round the room<br />I can tell that you<br />Are the most beautiful girl.....in the room.<br />(In the whole wide room.)<br />And when you&#39;re on the street<br />Depending on the street<br />I bet that you are definitely in the top three<br />Good-looking girls on the street.<br />(Depending on the street.)&quot;</em></p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0px;"><strong>&quot;Not Crying&quot;:</strong> (On <em><a title="EVPL Catalog link" href="http://evans.evpl.org/search/t?SEARCH=the%20distant%20future%20sound" target="_blank">The Distant Future</a></em>)<em> </em>An emotional break-up ballad, trying to save face.</p>
<p style="margin-top:0px;margin-left:20px;"><em>&quot;I&#39;m not crying. No, I&#39;m not crying.<br />And if I am crying, it&#39;s not because of you.<br />It&#39;s because I&#39;m thinking of a friend of mine who you don&#39;t know who is dying.<br />That&#39;s right, dying.<br />These aren&#39;t tears of sadness because you&#39;re leaving me.<br />I&#39;ve just been cutting onions.<br />I&#39;m making a lasagna...for one.&quot;</em></p>
<p><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/evpl/3120542361/in/photostream" target="_blank"><img style="float:right;margin-left:8px;" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3198/3120542361_efe6f2d969_m.jpg" alt="New Zealand Cameraphone" width="240" height="161" /></a>This is just a small taste of the Conchords.&nbsp; Check out <a title="EVPL Catalog link" href="http://evans.evpl.org/search/a?SEARCH=flight%20of%20the%20conchords" target="_blank">their albums</a> for the full deal, including some songs I can&#39;t mention here.&nbsp; <img src="http://evpl.org/community/emoticons/emotion-2.gif" alt="Big Smile" /></p>
<p>Finally, if you&#39;re a fan of their music, check out the <a title="EVPL Catalog link" href="http://evans.evpl.org/search/t?SEARCH=flight%20of%20the%20conchords%20vid" target="_blank">Flight of the Conchords TV show on DVD</a>!&nbsp; Bret &amp; Jemaine play a fictional band that moves from New Zealand to New York to make it big.&nbsp; They&#39;re constantly breaking into song (the ones on their albums, along with some additional ones) to tell the story.&nbsp; Quite possibly the funniest show I&#39;ve seen in a long time!&nbsp; </p>
<p><a name="ytvid"></a>Here&#39;s a video of &quot;Inner City Pressure&quot; as it appeared in &quot;Bret Gives Up the Dream&quot;, the 2nd episode of the TV show.</p>
<p align="center">(Please visit the site to view this media)</p>
<p style="margin-bottom:0px;"><strong>More Information</strong></p>
<ul style="margin-top:0px;">
<li>EVPL Catalog: Search for the FotC <a href="http://evans.evpl.org/search/a?SEARCH=flight%20of%20the%20conchords" target="_blank">music CDs</a> and <a href="http://evans.evpl.org/search/t?SEARCH=flight%20of%20the%20conchords%20vid" target="_blank">DVDs</a> in our online catalog.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.whatthefolk.net/" target="_blank">What the Folk!</a>: Unofficial fan site about Flight of the Conchords.</li>
<li><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw_0_15?url=search-alias%3Daps&amp;field-keywords=flight+of+the+conchords&amp;sprefix=flight+of+the+c" target="_blank">Amazon.com</a>: Purchase CDs, DVDs, &amp; other FotC merchandise using this link, and the Public Library Friends will receive a portion of your purchase!</li>
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